Stage Box

Allen & Heath DT168 Stage Box

The Allen & Heath DT168 is a 16-input, 8-output Dante stage box that integrates seamlessly with Avantis, dLive, and SQ consoles via a single Dante connection. Solid mic preamps, comprehensive metering on the front, and a 3U rack format make it a popular choice for venues already on Dante.

Compare

Photos

Manufacturer product photography — the drawn faceplate stays true to panel layout; these show the hardware itself.

Allen & Heath DT168 Stage Box — front panel with XLR inputs and outputs — Photo: Allen & Heath1 / 2

Documented outputs: 88 destination connections
Documented inputs: 17Based on documented inputs
Rack space: 4UBuilder checks available rail space
Power draw: 50W70W documented maximum
Catalog estimate: ~$2,199Use retailer rows for current price and stock

01 · What it does—and what that changes in your rig.

Product overview

Start with the payoff, then work through how it functions, where it fits, and the details that change a real build.

The payoff

Stage Box decisions, organized around the whole rig.

The DT168 is Allen & Heath's answer to a specific but common problem: you have a Dante network already running to your stage, and you need a reliable, rackmountable analog front-end that speaks that language natively. Sixteen mic preamps go in, eight line outputs come back out, and all of it moves over a single EtherCon run via Dante. It sits cleanly inside the SQ, Avantis, and dLive ecosystems, where patching is handled in the console software without a separate Dante Controller session for basic routing. That tight integration is the whole pitch.

Documented outputs: 88 destination connections
Documented inputs: 17Based on documented inputs
Rack space: 4UBuilder checks available rail space

Allen & Heath DT168 Stage Box — rear panel with IEC mains and primary/secondary Dante etherCON — Photo: Allen & Heath4U · 50W

Function

How it works in the path

Three rack units and 6.5 kg means this fits a standard stage rack without drama, and the 250 mm depth won't fight shallow touring cases. Power draw sits at 50 W nominal with a 70 W ceiling — plan for the higher number when you're speccing a PDU. The dual EtherCon ports give you primary and secondary Dante paths, which matters the moment a cable gets kicked at a festival; redundancy on a network stage box is not a luxury. Front-panel metering on all inputs means you can confirm signal at the box without walking back to the console, which saves real time during a fast line-check.

Best fit

Where it earns its place in the rack

If your console is already an SQ, Avantis, or dLive, this is a logical and well-supported choice — the ecosystem integration removes a layer of configuration friction that third-party Dante boxes introduce. If you're running a different console manufacturer's ecosystem, or if your network infrastructure isn't already Dante, the value proposition weakens considerably and you should look at alternatives that match your actual network topology. This is also not the right tool if you need more than eight discrete analog returns to stage; for larger output counts you'll be stacking units or looking at a bigger expander.

In the rack

Details worth deciding before load-in.

Always budget for the 70 W max draw when assigning a PDU circuit — a conditioner or distro that's tight on headroom will cause problems if the box spikes during startup.
Use the secondary Dante port for a genuine redundant network path on a physically separate cable run, not just a daisy-chain to the next device; a single tripped cable shouldn't take your whole stage input.
Label the eight line outputs on the back panel before load-in — in a dark stage rack, unlabeled male XLRs read identically and a wrong pull during a changeover costs you more time than the label took.
If you're running this with an SQ console on a 96 kHz session, confirm your Dante sample rate matches before the gig; a mismatch is silent until you wonder why inputs are dead.

02 · Know the whole path before you buy.

Signal path

Learn the route as a block diagram: source, product function, transport, and destination. Select any block to see what enters, what changes, and what leaves.

Interactive block diagramAuto-looping · hover, focus, or tap to hold a stage

Port-type signalProduct functionSystem boundary

Follow one signal from source to destination

Each block answers the same three questions: what arrives, what changes here, and what leaves.

01 · Source · selected

01 · Source

17 documented inputs

XLR female + IEC C14

Arrives as: 17 documented inputs
Connector: XLR female + IEC C14
Signal: analog audio

03 · What this product asks of the rest of the system.

Compatibility

Treat connector names as the start of the check—not the answer. These are the boundaries that determine a complete working path.

Best fit · Stage Box

Use it when 4U and 185 mm of depth fit the case.

Plan the companion path

Complete the path with upstream and downstream gear that matches connector, direction, signal type, protocol, and wiring standard.

Protocol boundary

This product declares DANTE; matching plugs alone do not make other protocols compatible.

04 · Every connector, grouped by job.

I/O ports

Switch the product view and the documented port inventory updates with it—hardware and data stay side by side.

Every connector, grouped by job.

Switch panels to keep the hardware view and the documented port list in sync.

Panel view

Front panel

Rear panel

All documented ports for Allen & Heath DT168 Stage Box
Port	Panel	Connector	Direction	Signal	Channels
Mic In 1	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 2	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 3	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 4	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 5	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 6	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 7	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 8	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 9	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 10	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 11	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 12	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 13	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 14	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 15	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic In 16	front	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Line Out 1	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Line Out 2	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Line Out 3	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Line Out 4	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Line Out 5	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Line Out 6	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Line Out 7	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Line Out 8	front	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Dante Primary	rear	etherCON	bidirectional	digital audio	16
Dante Secondary	rear	etherCON	bidirectional	digital audio	16
Power (IEC)	rear	IEC C14	input	power	—

Showing 27 of 27 documented physical ports. Scroll to review the remaining rows.

05 · Compare the decision, not just the price.

Alternatives

The rows are organized around fit, power, I/O, and system role so a cheaper unit cannot hide a more expensive workflow.

Compare	Allen & Heath DT168 Stage BoxThis gear	Allen & Heath AB168 Stage Box	Allen & Heath DX168 Stage Box	PreSonus NSB32.16 Stage Box
Fit	📐 4U	📐 3U	📐 4U	📐 3U
Power	⚡ 50W	⚡ 30W	⚡ 30W	⚡ 40W
Weight	⚖️ 14.3 lb	⚖️ 8.8 lb	⚖️ 12.1 lb	⚖️ 8.8 lb
I/O	🔌 27	🔌 5	🔌 27	🔌 4
Estimate	💵 ~$2,199	💵 ~$1,499	💵 ~$1,699	💵 ~$1,899
Deep dive	Current selection	Full comparison →	Full comparison →	Full comparison →

06 · Resolve the questions that can change the purchase or build plan.

Planning questions

Short, source-backed answers surface rack fit, power, cabling, and connection details before they become surprises.

How will the Allen & Heath DT168 Stage Box affect rack fit and case depth?

It occupies 4U. Its documented depth is 185 mm.

How much power does the Allen & Heath DT168 Stage Box draw?

Typical draw is 50W and documented maximum draw is 70W.

What connections does the Allen & Heath DT168 Stage Box have?

27 documented physical ports, including Mic In 1, Mic In 2, Mic In 3, Mic In 4, Mic In 5, Mic In 6.

07 · See this unit inside a real rack plan.

Builder preview

Placement is only the start. Builder checks space · depth · weight, power headroom, dependencies, and compatible signal paths around this exact catalog item.Open in Builder

08 · Related gear, in the order you may need it.

Stage Box

MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox

2U · 35 ports · ~$1,695

Stage Box

Midas DL16 Digital Stage Box

2U · 34 ports · ~$1,039

Stage Box

Midas DL32 Digital Stage Box

3U · 59 ports · ~$1,699

Stage Box

Behringer S16 Digital Stage Box

2U · 34 ports · ~$579

Stage Box

Behringer S32 Digital Stage Box

3U · 51 ports · ~$689

Stage Box

Midas DL251 Digital Stage Box

6U · 67 ports · ~$2,899

Planning guides for stage box systems.

Fundamentals · 6 min

From Stage to Ear: How Audio Flows Through an IEM Rack

A walking tour of the signal path from microphone to in-ear monitor, with what every box in the rack actually does to the audio along the way.

Workflow · 10 min

Stage Plots and Input Lists That Sound Engineers Actually Want

A plain-English guide to writing the input list, stage plot, and patch sheet that house engineers want — without the jargon, with examples, and with a free way to generate one.

Workflow · 10 min

Setting Up Stereo IEM Mixes on an X32 / M32

Step-by-step: linking aux buses into stereo pairs, pre-fader vs post-fader, routing buses to Ultranet vs physical XLRs vs AES50, and adding a bus-level limiter.

Networking · 9 min

Dante vs MADI vs AES50: Which Audio Network Should You Use?

A practical comparison of the three audio-over-network protocols you’ll encounter in a rack rig, with guidance on when each one is the right pick.

Photos

Product overview

Stage Box decisions, organized around the whole rig.

How it works in the path

Where it earns its place in the rack

Signal path

17 documented inputs

Compatibility

Best fit · Stage Box

Plan the companion path

Protocol boundary

I/O ports

Every connector, grouped by job.

Alternatives

Planning questions

Builder preview

MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox

Midas DL16 Digital Stage Box

Midas DL32 Digital Stage Box

Behringer S16 Digital Stage Box

Behringer S32 Digital Stage Box

Midas DL251 Digital Stage Box

Related articles

From Stage to Ear: How Audio Flows Through an IEM Rack

Stage Plots and Input Lists That Sound Engineers Actually Want

Setting Up Stereo IEM Mixes on an X32 / M32

Dante vs MADI vs AES50: Which Audio Network Should You Use?